Combined razor and blade sharpener



y 24, 1.932- H. DE HAVEN 1,859,554

COMBINED RAZOR AND BLADE SHARPENER Filed July 24, 1925 T I i i I mmmulngun-nnu I Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATIENT oar-"ice.

noon DE HAVEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY msNE ASSIGNMENTS, "r on HAVEN RAzoRooRroRATIoN, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A ooaroRATIoN or DELAWARE COMBINED RAZOR \AND BLADE srrAarENER Application filed-July 24, 1925. Serial No. 45,745.

This invention relates to self contained self sharpening safety razor which may be used, in addition to its use as a safety razor, to

v sharpen safety razor blades, and to aprocess 6 which may be utilized in other devices t0v sharpen the cutting edges of various other cutting means.

One of the objects of the present invention is to disclose a sharpening instrument for v razor blades andparticularly one which operates upon shaking to sharpen a. blade properly held Within the instrument. Another object of the invention is to disclose a razor and sharpening instrument in which the. blade is rocked during sharpening to contact at difi'erent angles with a re ciprocable sharpening element in order to give the edge of the blade a desirable contour. A further object, of the invention is to disstrument having a reciprocable blade edging element so arranged that upon reciprocation it sharpens the blade edge and the blade is rocked during sharpening. p A still further object of the invention is to disclose a process of sharpening a razor blade. Other objects and features of the invention Will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will claims.

The drawings illustrate in perspective, sec tion, elevation, and detail, a preferred form of construction adapted for use in a razor and razor blade sharpening instrument and embody the broad principles of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. -1 is a side elevation of a razor. 3

Fig. 2 is a'rear elevation of the razor. f Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the razor. Fig. 4 is a perspective'of the guard plate forming a. part of the razor.

Fig. 5.is a perspective of the blade edging element which fits on the guard plate and functions to sharpen the blade. I v Fig. 6 isa front elevation looking into the head of the razor with the parts arranged as shown in Fig. 7 for removing the blade from its support.

particularly be pointed out in the close a razor and razor blade'sharpening in support 2.

' every direction.

Fig. '7 Fig. 6.

The device illustrated is particularly designed to be used as a safety razor in which the blade can be sharpened'without removing it from the razor and by the simple means is alongitudinal section through of operating a catch, the parts of the razor can either be held in shaving position or be released for the purpose of sharpening the blade. Although the sharpening mechanism is intended primarily to keep a keen edge on the blade used for shaving, it will be seen that dull blades may be inserted in the device and sharpened.

- The parts of the razor may be designated generally as a handle 1, a blade support 2 and a sharpening means3. The handle may be formed of any suitable material, but is preferably of a-noncorrosive and non-rustingmetal stamped'to provide upright portions 4, the upper parts-=5 of which extend outwardly at an angle to the portions 4 and then again extend upwardly at 6 to provide, with the associated parts of the razor, the head.

The term head is used todenote generally the upper part of the razor including the blade ing plate 7 having its forward or blade en- The blade support 2 comprises a blade hold blade of any rigidity may be used-the blade shown is thin and flexible andto back it up the forward end of the blade holding member extends quite near the edge of the blade. As

illustrated, the forward end of the blade hold:

ing member is formed with an angle 9 forming a recess behind it in which is seated the jacket 10 on the rear edge of the razor blade.

It will of course be appreciated that the blade holding member may have any form desired.

to permit it to perform its function ofholding anydesired razor. blade.

The blade holding member is so mounted in the head of the razor that the edge of the blade 11 may contact evenly with the surfaceof the blade edging element 12, and to that end the blade may have movement in It has been found convenient to mount the blade holding member I be loosely mounted in the openings 14 in the arms 6 or may be fastened therein so long asit does not fall away from the arms and let the blade holding member fall. The

blade holding member may be mounted on the rod in any suitable manner, but "preferably a collar 15 is fast to the blade holding member and serves to support the blade holding member on the rod 13. Preferably, although not necessarily, the opening through the collar is tapered, so that its smallest diameter is at 16 in the center of the collar. The collar, at its point of smallest diameter however, is preferably somewhat larger than the rod 13 to permit play between the rod and the blade holding member. seen that with the parts constructed as just described the blade holding member is supported only at one point namely along the edge 16 of the opening through the collar and thus the member may have a rotary movement about the rod 13 as an axis and also the blade holding member may change its angular position with relation to the rod with the result that the blade may adjust itself to contact with equal pressure at all points along the line of contact with the blade edging element 12. Yielding tension means, illustrated as springs 17 and 18 cause the blade holding member to pressthe blade against the blade edging element 12. In the deyi'ce as illustrated, the springs contact at their outer ends with the arms 6 and at their inner ends with the collar 15 and exert their force on the blade holding member through the collar. For convenience in lifting the blade and blade holding member from the blade edging element, there is a finger gripv 19 which be a part of the collar 15 and projects through the blade holding member into an exposed position. One edge '20 of the finger piece is preferably of the blade holding member to assist in transmitting the pressure of the springs 17 and 18 from the collar 15- to the blade-holding member. In the device as illustrated, springs 21 ,arefastened at one end to the rear extension 23of the blade holding memher and at the other end 24; contact with the 1 jacket on the rear of the blade yieldingly to hold the blade against the blade holding member in the recess in back of the angle 9 of the blade holding member. The forward edge 25 of the end 24 of the springs is preferably turned down as illustrated, so that the. blade may easily be slipped into and removed from its seat on the blade holding member.

The blade holding member is preferably made of resilient material and the rear end 23 of the member is formed at such an angle to the forwardend 26 that when the parts of the device are in shaving position',-as illus- It will thus be fastened to the outsideof the blade trated in Fig. 1, the rear edge 27 against the edging element exerts pressure rear end 23 of .the blade holding member toassistthe springs 17 and 18in forcing theend 23 of the blade holding member and con- 5 met with the rear end 27 of the blade edging element when the parts of the device are'in shaving position, thus causing the forward portions 24 of the springs to exert increased pressure against the rear of the blade in order securely to hold the blade in proper osition on the blade holding member'during shaving.

vIn order to facilitate the removal of the blade from the blade holding member, the sides f the blade are serrated as shown at 29 an the forward end 26 of the blade holding m mber is cut away opposite the serrations so that the blade may firmly be grasped at its serrated sides andpulled from between the springs 21 and the blade holding member. To osition the blade properly on the blade hol ing member, tabs 30 may be provided for abutting the sides of the blade and keeping it within the limits of the blade holding mem her. The corners of the cutting edge of the blade are rounded as is shown at 31 so that.

there is no sharp corner which might cut into theskin of the person using the razor.

The blade edging device, on the razor illustrated, includes a guard plate 32 and the blade edging element 12 which is rem'ovably supported onthe guard plate. The blade edging element is reciprocable with relation to the blade and as a convenientmeans for obtaining the reciprocation the guard plate and thus the blade edging element, are .car-

ried by a stem 33 pivotally mounted by means of a pin 34 on the handle. The surface of the blade edging element which contacts with the The blade edging element may be fastened to the guard plate in any suitable manner, I

but it has been found convenient to removably support the blade edging element on the v guard plate by cementing the element to a base plate 35 having resilient under turned lips 36 adapted to extend around the edges of the guard plate. In order to facilitate the removal of the blade edging element from the pulled backward a portion of the width'of the plate before it and. its=associated base plate may be removed from the guard plate. To

hold the blade edging element securely yet 'removably in place on the guard plate,the

guard plate and lips'may be provided with corresponding and cooperating protuberances and recesses 38 and 39 which seat one in the other and thus hold blade edging element properly positioned on the guard plate. Teeth 40 serve to guard the edge of the razor blade when the parts are in the shaving-position illustrated in Fig. 1. These teeth may be and preferably are'formed integral with the guard plate. The teeth stand up somewhat'above the plane of the guard plate and may be used as an abutment to engage the forward edge of the bladeedging element properly to position said element on the plate. Preferably however, the teeth stand only high enough above the plane of the guard plate to guard, but not contact with, the edge of the blade, and the blade edging element together with its base plate are just high enough so that when in the proper position on the plate theyengage with the plate back of its edge to support the blade in proper position above the guard teeth. It is evident that by using blade edging elements of different thicknesses the edge of the blade will be supported at different heights above the guard teeth and thus, by using a thick element the blade edge may be so positioned with relation to the guard that a close shave is obtained while if a thin element is used the blade will be so is obtained. I

The blade edging element may be of any suitable material'which is hard enough to permit the edge of the blade to move over it in opposite directionswithout cutting into positioned that a light-shave the element. High polished steel, china, and

glass are some of the materials which are deemed satisfactory for use as blade edging elements. Glass has proven to besatisfactory for. the reason, among others, that it is very hard and capable of being used either when highly polished or when slightly roughened. It will be appreciated that the effect of a highly polished surface is to smooth off and polish the edge of the razor blade and the effect of a slightly roughened surface is to abrade the edge of the blade and eradicate small nicks which from time to time may appear in the edge. It is contemplated to provide several blade edging elements of varying degrees of roughness and polish for use with a razor in order that a blade, when dull, may be ground on the rough element and smoothed off on the polished element. A light lubricanton the polished glass assists in the movement of the blade on the surface and beneficially affects the edge of the into and .out of engagement with the blade. A suitable grinding compound such as a mixture of diamantine and rouge may be used on either the rough or polishedblade edging elements to action. The'surface of a blade ed 'ing element may even be provided with fine lines or cuts 41 to assist in holding the polishing material or to roughen the surface so that the edge of the blade will be ground down I more quickly. In order that the edge of. the blade may smoothly pass over the forward edge .42 ofthe' blade edging element, said edge is rounded.

The following described parts and arrangement thereof are provided to limit the stroke of reciprocation of the blade edging element and to hold the various parts of the razor in shaving position.

The upper part of the stem 33 is preferably made ivith two prongs 43 which provide space between them for the movement of a link 44 whichserves to limit the stroke of reciprocation of the guard plate and blade edging element. As is clearly shown in Fig. 3 the link is pivoted on a pivot 45 passing through the upper parts of the upright portions 4 of the handle. The link is connected with the stem by means of the pin 46 which operates in the slot 47 in the link. As .will clearly be understood, any length stroke may be oband cooperating with slots 51 in the prongs 43 of the stem holds the latch on the stem-and permits it to move longitudinally of the stem tion 48'of the link. The thumb piece 52 facilitates the movement of the latch and also assists in holding the latch in proper position on the stem. To force the parts of the razor into the shaving position the projection 48 on the link is bevele'd on one face 53 and the'recess in the body of the latch is beveled on theface 54 for cooperation with the beveled face 53 on the link. It will thus be seen that when the projection 48 is seated in the recess on the latch,- a movement of the body of the latch toward the link causes a wedg ng action between the 'faces'53 and 54 causinga leverage action resulting in a. pressure being exerted by the great deal of rear end 27 of .theblade edging element against the" parts 28 of the springs-21 and through the springs against'the rear end 23 of the blade holding member that the ends 24 of the springs 21 firmly press the jacket of the rear end of the blade into its seat on the blade holding member-and 430 I give a quick abrading projec with the result the forward portion of the blade holding member firmly presses the blade against forward edge 42 of the blade edging element. The indentation 55 in the stem receives the pivot 45and permits the stem to move rearwardly sufliciently for the full wedging action just described to take place.

It may be desirable to construct a razor of i this type so that the blade edging element is capable of a side movement during its forward and backward reciprocation in order that the relative motion of the blade and blade edging element may be similar to the motion of a razor over a honing stone when a razor is honed by hand. For this purpose the'stem is loosely mounted on the pivot pin 34 and the connecting bends 56 between the upright. portions 4 and the upper parts 5' of the andle are appreciably spaced from the adjacent prongs 43 of the stem. The upright portions 4 o the handle taper from the bends toward each other as-they approach the pivot pin 34. The erably of such a width that it does not contact with the upwardly extending arms 6. The blade used in the razor isconsequently pref-. erably of such a dimension along its edge that all partsof the edge contact with the surface of the blade edging element even though the blade edging e ement moves to the limit of its permissible-side movement. The combined forward and backward reciprocating and side movement will almost inevitably take place when the razorlis shaken for sharpening the manner in blade, because it is practically impossible for the human hand to shake the razor in such two successive shakes that the I blade edging element will take the same path a some side movement.

and it is also practically impossible that the blade edgin element will have a straight forward and ackward reciprocation without A feature of that form of the razor herein described is that after the blade has been placed in the blade holding member and lowered into contact with the blade edging element, such contact is continuous except when-the blade is purposely raised from the element. as when a new blade is inserted or the blade is raised for the purpose of turning it over to sharpen the other side. It will be seen from an inspection of Figs. land 3 v the sharpening edge of the bla surface of the sharpenin when the of the drawings that'when the partsar'e in osition shown in Fig. 3, the e is in contact with the flat element and that arts are in s aving position as shown in ig. 1, the rounded edge of the blade edging element contacts with the blade in back of the blade edge to su port the blade in roper position relativeto t e guard teeth.

en the parts are in shaving position-the blade and rounded edge of the blade edging elementare in engagement entire line'of contact with-the result that throughout their the .moved by from the shaving position shown in F g. 1

blade edging element is pref-' becauseit prevents 'if the finger of the when the razor is used for shaving the lather passes from the ed e of the blade through the guard teeth on to t e lower side of the guard plate and therefore none of the lather collects upon the surface of the blade edging element to contaminate the mixture of rouge and diamantine which may be on the surface of said element the blade. The lather may easily be reto the extended position shown in Fig. 3.

for sharpening the'edge of moving the blade edging element Since the'blade contacts withthe forward edge 42 of the blade edging element, all of the blade and;

position shown in Fig.

the lather will be scraped from with the parts in the g 3,; the lather may easily be washed from the razor because the blade is out of the way and there is nothing to hold the lather and to prevent it from being washed away. 1

The normal positions of the parts of the razor are of course the shaving positions with the blade edging element normally lying under and in back of the edge of the razor blade. When the blade is being sharpened, however, the blade edging element moves on its pivot from'its normallor retracted position within the head to an extended position in advance of the shaving edge thereby rocking the blade. When the blade edging element moves from its extended position to its normal or retracted position, the rounded edge 42 of the element is said to move against contact therewith and it is obvious such movement the blade edge is the first part thereof to pass of of the element over the smoothly rounded-edge. This is important the edge of the blade being bent as would happen if theedgeofthe blade were the last ,part to pass off of the edge of the element; thus the edge of the blade always retains the position-which is given to it by the edging surface of the blade edging element.

use of the razor is quite The operation and simple and effective. In order to place a blade in the razor the position shown in Fig. 7 with the rear end 23 of the blade holding member resting on a rear edge 27 of the blade edging element.

' To bring the parts into the position shown in Fig. 7 tion shown in ency of the the latch 49 is lowered from the posi- Fig. 1, whereupon the resili- 43 of the stem to move the blade edging ele-' ment farther to the front of the razor so that razor should sli o of the fingergrip 19, the

blade edging e ement will be in position to parts 28 of the springs 21 will 'r throw the blade edging device slightly forrson who is opening the.

the parts'are brought into catch the blade when the blade holding member snaps downwardly under the influence of the springs 17. and 18. In-other words, whenever the blade holder is open, the blade edging element and not the guard teeth 40 is lade holding member graduallyrises up- I wardly until it can slip over the top of the blade edging element, as is shown in Fig. 7. The blade holding member will remain fixed I in the open position shown in" Fig. 7, so that movement, but as previously stated the side-- the other side of the edge.

the blade may easily be cleaned without removing the blade from the blade holding member. [To insert the blade the operator then forces'th'e rear edge of a blade'betweeln the blade holding member and the ends 24 of the springs 21. The blade edging element is then moved into the position shown in Fig. 3 by lowering the blade holding member until the edge of the blade contacts with the surface of the blade edging element. .If' it is then .desiredto polish the edge of the blade the handle may be grasped at the lowest on solid portion and the razor shaken in such manner that the blade edging element reciprocates in contact with the edge of the blade.

The fact that the blade .edging element is unbalanced due tothe weight of the guard plate and the blade edging element and freely moving renders it easily'reciprocable on shaking. If the razor is made to permit side movement of the blade edging element the razor may purposely be shaken so that there IS a sidewise .as well as forward and backward wise movement occurs with the usual shaking.

almost inevitably If desired, after sharpening oneside of the blade edge, the

blade may be removed and turned over and again inserted in the blade holding member be shaken to polish For shaving, the blade edging element is pressed back into the head of the razor until the rear edge of the blade edging element contacts with the after which the razor may "parts 28 of the springs 21 at which time the I projection 48 of'the link 44 will be above and ready to seat in the recess in the latch 49.

The latch 49 is then removed from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby causing the wedging action of the surfaces 53 and 54 to hold securely the parts of the razor in shaving position as of the invention, namely, a razor of particular construction, has been described it; is to be understood that the description is only one form of the invention and is set forth to enable the invention better to be comprehended. It is therefore desired that the invention be construed as broadly as the state ments in the several claims taken in conjunc-' tion with theprior art may allow. I claim:

blade edging element having a flat surface portion upon which the blade may move in opposite directions, said element being mounted upon the razor for reciprocation relatively to the blade.

2. A- razor comprising a razor blade, a

1. 'A razor comprising a razor blade, a

blade edging element having a hard flat sur- 4. A razor comprising a han le, a razor.

blade inounted on said handle, a blade edging element havin a flat surface portion in contact with the e ge of the blade and a-pivot out of the plane of said surface upon which said element is mounted. v,

5. A razor comprising ahandle, a razor blade mounted on said handle, element having a flat surface portion in contact with the edge of the blade, apivot out of the plane of said surface upon which said element is mounted and means for pressing the edge of the blade against said surface.

6. A razor comprising a blade and a blade edgingelement operatively associated, said element having. a flat surface portion of blade edging material for contact with said 9. A razor comprising a blade, a blade holding member, a movable guard, and a blade edging element positioned to support the edge of the blade above the guardduring shaving. a v

10. A razor comprising a blade, a blade holding member, a movable guard, and a blade edging element movable with the guard and positioned to .support the edge of the blade above the edge ofthe guard during shaving.

. 11. A razor comprising a blade, a blade holding member, a movable guard and a blade edging element positioned to support 7. In a safetyrazor, a blade edging device no I ablade edging I the edge ofthe blade adjacent but spaced from the guard during shaving.

12. A razor comprising a blade havlng a shaving edge, means to hold said blade, a

flat blade edging element mounted to contact with said blade and normall to lie under the blade and back of the e ge thereof, said device being capable of movement from its normal position to. a position advance of the shavlng edge.

13. A razor comprising a blade having a shaving edge, means to hold said blade, a flat blade edging element pivotally mounted to contact with said blade, and normally to he under the blade and back of the edge therethe razor blade against the element.

15. A razor mount having a flat blade edging element mounted thereon. J

16. A razor mount having a flat hard surfaced blade edging element mounted thereon. 17. A razor comprising a blade, means for supporting the blade during shaving and a flat reciprocable hard surfaced blade sharpening element mounted on the razor.

18. A razor comprising 'a blade-having a shaving edge, a blade edging element associated with the razor to sharpen said edge,

3 and. a blade supporting means including a blade holding member, and a rod on which said member is loosely pivoted whereby the blade and blade holder may automatically adjust themselves to the edging element while the blade edge is in contact with said element.

19. A razor havingfa blade, and havinga blade edging element presenting a smoot ly rounded edge mounted for movement against and beyond the edge of the 'blade in contact therewith whereby upon movement of the element against the blade edge said blade edge passes ofi ofthe element over said smoothly rounded edge.

20.- A razor comprising a handle, a blade holding member, a blade edging element associated therewith, a pivoted stem to support said element, and a link connecting the stem to the handle. V 7

21. A razor comprising a handle including a head, a blade support'in the head, a blade edging element movable from an extended position to a retracted position, a pivoted. stem to support said element, a link connecting the stem to the handle and having a projection and a latch on the stem for engagement with said projection to hold the blade edging element in retracted position.

22. A-razor comprising a handle including v a head, a blade'support including a resilient blade holding member, a blade e ing device movable from an extended position to a retracted position within the head, said device when in a retracted position exerting ress sure against a part of said member to orce another part of said member toward said de;

vice;

guard for the 23. A razor comprising ahandle including '4 --a head, a blade sup ort includin a resilient blade holding mem r, a blade e ging devlce movable from an extended osition to a retracted position within the cad, said device when in fully retracted osition exerting pressure against a part 0 said member to force another art of said device an means vice into fully retractedfiposition.

24. A razor comprisin a blade member, resilient means or holdin in position on said member, a blade vice movable from an extended toa retracted position, said device when in a retracted position exerting pressure ainst said means more tightly to hold the the member.

holding a blade 25. A razor includ ng a blade, and means to clean the edge of the blade normallylys ing in back of t e blade edge and contacting with the blade along a line in back of the blade edge, said means being movable relatively to the blade from its normal "position to a position in advance of the blade edge while,

in contact therewith, to clean said edge.

26. A razor including a blade, a guard for the edge of the blade, and means to support the edge of the blade spaced from the guard during shaving, said means bein relatively to and in contact with t the blade, to clean the edge of the blade.

27. A razor including a blade, a guard for the edge of the blade, and means, to clean the edge of the blade, normally 1 'ng in backof b ade in position on movable e edge of said member toward for wedging said de- 76 ging de-. v

the'blade edge, said guard an said means be- I in connected to move together, said means being movable relatively to the blade from its normal position to a position in advance of the blade while in'contact therewith, whereby the lather is scraped from the ed 0 of the blade and may be washed from t e guard without interference from the blade.

28. In a safety razor, a bladeedging device I including a guard plate and a blade edging element removably mounted on the err plate and positioned to support the e go of l the blade adjacent to and a predetermined distance from the guard during shaving.

29. A safety razor including a blade, a

blade and a blade edging element, removably mounted on the razor and positioned to support the edge of the blade adjacent to the guard during shaving.

Y 30. In combination, a razor blade, a

blade.

sharpening element reciprocable relatively to and in contact with the blade, means for holding the blade and sharpenin 1 element in contact, and means where y. re ative reciprocation of the blade-and element may because to take place, causing the ;angle of contact of the blade and element to change during such reci rocation.

31. In' combination, a'razor bl sharpening element reciprocable relatively to e, a blade d 12! such means including means for and in contact with the blade, means for holding the blade and sharpening element in yielding contact, and means whereby relative reciprocation of the blade and element ma be caused to take place, such means inclu ing means for causing the angle of contact of .the blade and element to change during such reciprocation.

, In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of July, 1925. a v HUGH DE HAVEN. 

